Ateba Gautier isn’t afraid of the haters ahead of UFC 332 breakthrough fight: ‘You need them’

Newark, New Jersey - May 09: Ateba Gautier, the Cameroon-born UFC Middleweight prospect, has recently become one of the promotion's most thrilling young fighters. His aggressive fighting style, finishing ability, and potential have earned him considerable attention. However, with the spotlight comes scrutiny, and expectations for Gautier have been high.

In preparation for his biggest test yet against Roman Kopylov on the UFC 332 main card at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Gautier has faced some criticism from fans for the early competition he encountered. After a memorable but tough bout against Andrey Pulyaev at UFC 324, where he fought to a decision, Gautier's reputation as an undefeated prospect was put to the test.

Despite the backlash, Gautier remains unfazed. "You need them," he told UFC.com, referring to the haters, "You can't conquer people's opinion, no matter what you do. And if everyone is on your side, that's not good as well. So you need haters. You need them." For Gautier, criticism is simply part of the journey to the top.

Rather than ignoring the negativity, Gautier uses it as fuel. "You look at the comment and if what they say is true, then just fix it," he explained. "But even if what they say is wrong or they try and insult me — it's fine. As a man, I just try and take the good with the bad. I work on this and try to come back better."

As Gautier prepares for his matchup with Kopylov, a significant jump in difficulty compared to his previous UFC opponents, he understands that the haters are likely to remain. But he's perfectly content with that. "You need haters," he said. For the full UFC 332 fight card and broadcast schedule, click here.